2020 June e-News
These are difficult, challenging, and painful times. The senseless and tragic killing of George Floyd here in Minneapolis has reverberated across the country. Thousands of people across the nation are speaking out, protesting, and advocating for justice and equality and against police brutality and racially motivated violence. As Martin Luther King, Jr. once said in his April 1963 letter from a Birmingham jail: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
I share this view and believe that we are interconnected and, individually and together, have a responsibility to eliminate racism and improve outcomes for all. Education and training play a critical and powerful role in transforming lives and helping create a more equitable society. We still have much work to do. The Midwestern Higher Education Commission is committed to change and joins in support of those seeking justice and equality.
Susan Heegaard, MHEC President
MHEC Executive Committee Meets Virtually, with Gratitude to Nebraska as Host State in Response to the Pandemic
Due to the pandemic, MHEC hosted its June Executive Committee Meeting virtually for the first time. Originally scheduled to be in Omaha, the commission was able to highlight Nebraska in a few ways during the June 10 meeting.
An optional session "Opportunity and Innovation in a Time of Uncertainty, How the University of Nebraska is Responding to the Global Pandemic" was offered to start the morning.
President Walter "Ted" Carter, Jr., University of Nebraska System, provided an overview of his first few months leading the system and how they are responding to the COVID-19 challenge and the connections to inequality and disparity. Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and University of Nebraska at Omaha, shared his experience leading an academic institution and medical center that have been central to the national and international response to the global pandemic. The recording, slides, and links shared during the presentation are available on the MHEC website .
The Executive Committee Meeting was led by Chair Olivia Madison (IA), and commissioners were welcomed by Dr. Michael Baumgartner, executive director of Nebraska's Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education. Additionally, MHEC also featured a photo montage of Nebraska. All 12 member states were represented for the meeting. The other officers include Vice Chair David Eisler, Ferris State University (MI); Treasurer Rick Carfagna, State Representative (OH); and Past Chair Ken Sauer, Indiana Commission for Higher Education (IN).
Commissioners took action to approve the FY21 MHEC budget, as well as approving a one-year contract extension for its private student health insurance exchange services under MHECare, through July 29, 2021. Commissioners also approved and accepted the agreed upon Presidential Performance Report.
President Susan Heegaard emphasized the importance of MHEC's value proposition and reminded commissioners that MHEC is different from an association. She reiterated the importance of providing feedback regarding needs and value in order to better understand and serve each member state. Commissioners were reminded of the recently established Strategic Framework that will guide MHEC's work moving forward. President Heegaard and other commissioners acknowledged the unprecedented nature of the times and their impact on higher education.
CONTRACTS
MHEC Launches Safe Return to Campus RFP Effort
MHEC has a long history of helping its member states and the institutions in those states by developing group procurement contracts that save states and institutions* time and money while facilitating the acquisition of technology and insurance. Many of these contracts are now being used nationwide through agreements MHEC holds with the three similarly positioned compacts in the other regions of the country. Recently, MHEC has received a number of inquiries requesting assistance in the purchase of supplies that will help allow for the safe return to campus for students, faculty, and staff. Examples of such inquiries include requests for help in obtaining COVID tests, COVID antibody tests, cleaning supplies, sanitizers, and personal protective equipment (PPE).
As a statutorily-created interstate compact with a regional footprint, that has been given broad contracting authority to act on behalf of its member states, MHEC is well positioned with the infrastructure in place to support its states in their efforts to obtain these supplies. However, MHEC staff have very little expertise or experience in the procurement of these types of materials. Given the nature of the items being requested, and the already strong demand and competing interests that exist for such products, it is MHEC's belief that a knowledge and understanding of the industry and marketplace is essential for any effort like this to succeed.
MHEC recognizes the task is great, and time is limited. However, MHEC believes by working together many things can be achieved. The following survey will help MHEC prioritize and focus its efforts and subject-matter expertise and advice are welcomed. COVID-RFP SURVEY
*While MHEC’s focus is institutions of higher education (public and private not-for-profit) most contracts are available for use by K-12 districts and schools; cities, counties, local subdivisions; state government; and non-profit organizations (education-related only). For more information, please contact Jennifer Dahlquist, MHEC vice president.
POLICY & RESEARCH
MHEC Webinars Offer Additional Details on Work with Credential Engine
As part of its recent partnership with Credential Engine, MHEC conducted a survey of MHEC commissioners and key influencers in April and hosted two Credential Engine webinars in May and early June. Credential Engine is a non-profit whose mission is to create credential transparency, reveal the credential marketplace, increase credential literacy, and empower everyone to make more informed decisions about credentials and their value. During the webinars presenters led attendees through information about Credential Engine and credential transparency. The first of the webinars was Regional priorities for a connected learn-and-work ecosystem: Results from the Midwest Credential Transparency Survey and shared the outcomes of that survey. Credential Engine also provided a look into the technology used to support credential transparency in the second webinar, entitled Technology services for a connected learn-and-work ecosystem: Results from the Midwest Credential Transparency Survey . The Indiana Commission for Higher Education and the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity-Workforce Development were featured in both webinars and shared business cases of their credential transparency work to date. The slides and recordings of the webinars are available on the [MHEC website <https://www.mhec.org/news/webinars-credential-engine>] .
ARTICLES AND RESOURCES OF INTEREST
Here’s a List of Colleges’ Plans for Reopening in the Fall
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Are Campus Leaders Prepared for the Impact of the Racial Crisis?
Inside Higher Ed | June 15, 2020
The Reopened Campus: What it will take. How it will look
The Chronicle of Higher Education | May 27, 2020
Hard Truths: Why Only Race-Conscious Policies Can Fix Racism in Higher Education
Education Trust | January 15, 2020
If you have items you would like considered for inclusion in a future newsletter, please forward to mhec@mhec.org.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
NC-SARA Board Nominations
June 16, 2020